Linked!
by PCBW
Summary: A Voyager take on the TNG P/C episode, Attached. Stay tuned for more action, adventure, and romance. As always, very J/C. Disclaimer: I don't own the idea of this story. The plot was adapted from another Star Trek Series.
1. Chapter 1

_Everything feels cold? Where am I? I don't remember being here? Wait a minute? Ouch! _

Kathryn opened her eyes tentatively. Grey. Dark.

_What is this place?_

A sleeping form stirred beside her, "mmmph"

_Chakotay? I think. I can't see. Everything's gone slightly blurry, _"Chakotay?"

"K-Kathryn?" his familiar voice rumbled. When she took time to think about it, it was such a distinctive voice, much like her own. Her own, voice, however is sharp, commanding. His voice, though, is beautiful. For an unconscious moment she thought about how much she loves hearing his stories sometimes for the sole reason that she loves hearing him tell them.

"Chakotay? Where are you?"

A small harsh light flickered in the room brought on by the motion of its two occupants.

"Here," _warm. _

"Where are we?"

"I don't know."

"Are you okay?"

"Fine." _Typical answer. The real version: my head aches, my back hurts because of this hard ground I've been laying on, my neck is stiff, there's a dull ache at the base of my occipital bone that won't go away, and I'm freezing._

He smiled, "now I know that you're not alright. 'Fine' is the Kathryn Janeway code for miserable."

_He's right. How does he do that? _

"What?"

"I didn't say anything."

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Well," _good question,_ "This last thing I remember is being in Transporter Room 1 getting ready to beam down to the planet for trade nego- oh my God, Chakotay!"

"What?"

"Your neck!"_ what is that? _

_"_What's on my neck?" immediately his hand shot up and his eyes nearly bugged out of his head, "seriously, Kathryn, what is it?"

"I don't know" she replied, taking a closer look, "bend down."

Small, round, metallic, "I've never seen anything like it. Does it hurt?"

"No…"

"Hmm. I really have no idea. Here, check me. Do I have one?" _Mmmhh, is it wrong that even in this horrible situation that I am still slightly turned on by his bare hands on my skin? Snap out of it!_

"Yeah! You've got one too."

"Alright, let's see. We're not on Voyager, we have some type of alloy implant in our spine, and we're in some sort of cell. We have no idea where we are or why we're here. Typical day in the Delta Quadrant?"

She smiled and laughed, "it would appear-"

The door to the cell suddenly slid open, "who are you? Where are we? Why are you holding us hostage?" she demanded at the incoming figure?

The tall form came into the light, "you are not hostages. You are prisoners."

"Prisoners on whose authority?!" he demanded.

"You're being held under the authority of the Ret Security Industry."

"On what charges?" _Where is all of this coming from? I thought we negotiated a peaceful trade agreement with the Pren people on this planet? The Ret? _

"The charges are conspiring with the enemy."

"The Enemy?" we replied in tandem.

"Don't play coy, Captain. We know about your military alliance with the Pren."

"_Military Alliance_? You must be mistaken. We're here to set up a trade agreement for mining dilithium and to acquire foodstuffs!"

"There is no use in trying to mislead us, Captain."

"No you don't-"

The woman held up her hand, "the devices that have been implanted in your cerebral cortexes will soon be calibrated to your psi wave pattern."

_Psi wave pattern? What? _

_"_At that time," she continued, "we'll be able to get all the information we need."

_Which at this point would be the recipe for my Aunt Martha's rhubarb pie._

"And then you'll discover that we're telling the truth!" the polar tone in Chakotay's voice could have frozen water.

"We shall see." And then the doors shut behind her. Darkness once again ensconced the small cell.

"This is ridiculous!"

"Kathryn, stop pacing. Voyager knows that we're missing. The Pren have probably already contacted the crew and told them that we didn't show up at the council hall for the negotiation."

"Yes. I know, but I'm not happy about this, Chakotay. There is an implant in my spine! I've had enough of those for one lifetime – thank you very much."

_I wonder if there's a way out of here… hmm... _

"Chakotay?"

"Hmm?"

"Give me a leg up."

"Why?"

"Well I'm not just going to sit here like a lame duck and wait for them to 'calibrate my psi patterns'. There has to be a way out of here. Now, leg up, Commander. Let's see if there's a way to open that window."

"What are you expecting to find, Kathryn? A sign that says 'open here'? We're in a prison cell, not a hotel room."

"There must be some sort of structural flaw that will allow us to get out of here."

"Right."

"Think positively, Commander. Let's not give up hope just yet!" She jiggled the bar on the windows, looked at every bolt surrounding the frame – nothing.

"Can I put you down now?"

"What too heavy?"

"No, Kathryn. Spirits, you weigh nothing. I'm just getting tired of standing here." _And_, he thought, _having your groin so close to my face is doing nothing for my resolve or my focus on getting us out of here!_

Suddenly the door hissed open again. Chakotay dropped Kathryn to the ground in the most unceremonious of fashions as his attention was riveted towards the figure. He was dressed identically to the woman security officer who had been in an hour before. But this man said nothing as he tentatively laid down a tray and backed away. What is it? Food? Then, as soon as he entered, he was gone again.

"Well, what's this? Food?" _Food is not what we need at a time like this! _

"At least we know they're not going to starve us to death." Chakotay stated plainly.

"That means they plan on keeping us here for a while."

"Let's just take a look."

"Chakotay!"

"Our tricorder?" He's clearly equally confused.

"Turn it on!"

The machine illuminated, "Kathryn…?"

"It looks like the main directory has been updated with a map of the area!" _Progress! _

"What's that highlighted in red?"

_Well, well, well! _"It looks like an escape route and a map of the area!"

"Do you think that man is working for the Pren?"

"It's possible, Commander. "

"Let's be careful, Captain. This could also be part of an elaborate trap."

"You're right. But I'd rather take my chances out there."

"Hmm. I'm with you on that one."

"Now, that just leaves us how to get out of this cell…"

"Look on the tricorder. Is there a way to open the cell door?"

Scanning the tricorder again, "yes! Here it is: a code."

He smiled a big dimpled grin, "well come on, then!"

Her attempts at opening the door were failing miserably, "patience, Commander. I have to figure out these symbols."

"Here, let me take a look."

"Oh that's right," she added sardonically, "you might be better at this with your whole Native American insight into symbols!"

"Now, now, Kathryn – I'm just trying to help!" He couldn't help but give her that cheeky smile.

Grudgingly she handed over the tricorder. "Okay, let's see," he looked at the door code, "I think we enter it like this," and suddenly the door hissed open.

He couldn't help it: the 'I told you so' expression was all over his smug face.

"Good job, Commander. Now let's get out of here!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Wait, Kathryn," Chakotay held his hand out as they exited the cell and looked both ways down the corridors. The hallway was much like the holding cell with grey walls and sparse lighting.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone here!" Kathryn whispered.

"What does the map tell us?"

Kathryn looked at the tricorder map and then down the hall, "we go this way. The map indicates that there should be an exit at the end of the hall," she pointed to her right.

Chakotay took her hand in his own and continued along the corridors, looking as he went for any sort of monitoring devices or video cameras. There were none. Strange.

"Is that the exit that the map told us to take?"

Kathryn looked up, "I think so. I hope there isn't an alarm on it."

Chakotay looked wearily, "might as well find out."

To his surprise, the door opened easily. No alarms went off. "This can't be a prison. There aren't any guards, no alarms, no-" suddenly a loud klaxon sounded over the building's comm.

_Crap!_

"Run, Kathryn!"

Luckily the grounds outside the building were as desolate as the interior; the shabby steel 'prison' was surrounded by brush and tall trees making the escape easier. The two ran as quickly as they could. Chakotay had a death grip on Kathryn's hand as they ran into the trees.

"I think… we," Kathryn hunched over as she caught her breath, "can stop now".

"Really, I thought you were in better shape, Kathryn!" Chakotay smiled as he let her catch her breath.

"What are you saying, Commander?"

"Nothing, Nothing!" he paused, "just that when we get back to the ship maybe you should come to the holodeck and build your endurance rather than going to see that holographic boyfriend of yours."

"Watch it."

"Sorry." _I'm not sorry,_ he snarkily added to himself.

"What?" Kathryn sneered.

"I didn't say anything."

"Yes you did." She stood with her hands on her hips, _I could have sworn your just said something! _ She rubbed her neck and was sorely reminded of the metal implant, "Never mind. Let's just get as far away from here as possible. I don't even want to think of what they meant by calibrating our psi wave patterns."

The air on the planet was arid and hot. The sun pelted the surface unrelentingly and the trees did little good to shade the couple. The kept as close to the shaded areas as possible, but soon the terrain changed and their surroundings became increasingly desert-like.

_What I wouldn't give for a tall glass of water right about now! _ Chakotay thought as beads of sweat started ambling down his brow and chest.

"Oh me too!" Kathryn said aloud in agreement.

"You too, what?"

"A tall glass of cold water. That does sound nice."

"I didn't say that. I didn't say anything."

She stopped dead in her tracks, moving to remove her uniform jacket to reveal her grey tank top underneath, "Yes. You did. I just heard you say 'what I wouldn't give for a tall glass of water right about now'".

Chakotay started to mirror her actions by unzipping his own jacket, but then stopped, "Kathryn. I only thought that."

Realisation set in, and Kathryn's hand shot up to her neck to fondle the implant, "oh my God, Chakotay. It's the devices."

"What do you mean?" He shouldn't be thick, but he had absolutely no idea how they could hear each other's thoughts through the device.

"The psi patterns. I think the devices were calibrated before we left and maybe this is the result of that!"

"Do you think they know where we are?" He started to look around.

"No," she looked around as well. "I don't think that we're being followed. And I think we're too far away for them to read whatever the implants are transmitting. We've been walking for close to three hours. If they were following us they would have found us by now. Maybe this is just a malfunction."

"It's funny. I've been able to hear bits and pieces of thoughts that weren't my own. I thought I was imagining it."

She smirked, "Me too. But, now I can hear whole sentences."

"The link is probably getting stronger."

"Well, we better keep moving. According to the tricorder," she looked down at the device, "the rendezvous point is 16km from here."

"We're not going to make that today. The sun is already beginning to set and we'll never make it in the dark."

"You're right. We'll keep going but we'll look for a place to stop for the night."

Kathryn turned around and kept walking. Unconsciously,_ you know what I'd really like right now? A big plate of byriani, a tall glass of iced coffee, and a slice of cheesecake to finish it off. I have't had cheesecake in so long. Well, that's because I never have enough replicator rations…_

"Kathryn would you please stop thinking about food?"

"I can't help it. I'm hungry. I haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday."

"Well try and help it! I'm trying to focus on finding us a place to rest for the evening and keeping us safe and all you can think about is your grandmother's byriani and cheesecake!"

Her face turned beet red, "you know" she retorted, "maybe we should put a little distance between us. Maybe then the link won't be so strong. If we keep at this we're going to kill each other before we can get out of here."

"Agreed," he grumbled.

He trudged on ahead of her. _Yes. Distance. We need distance. I don't want Kathryn hearing my thoughts. Most of them are inappropriate and involve her! That would be awkward… _

Suddenly he doubled over in pain. His stomach hurt and he felt the urge to vomit.

"Chakotay!" Kathryn called out behind him.

He moved back to her, "I just felt-"

"The most horrible nausea" she finished.

"Me too."

"But when you moved back to me it got better."

"It must be the implants."

The looked at each other, "I guess we're stuck with each other" she said almost mournfully.

"I suppose," he grumbled, looking at the ground.

The got back up and continued walking. Luckily the planet's sun was setting and the air was cooling down, "but we need to set some ground rules," she stated plainly.

_Of course, it's always about the ground rules and protocol with you isn't it Kathryn!_

"Hey!"

"Sorry."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think you know what it means!" he was starting to get angry. This wasn't a good idea. But what was he going to do? They were stuck.

He pulled himself together, "I'm sorry. Yes rules: no thinking about food."

"What should we think about?"

"Let's play a game."

"A game?"

"The one Harry and B'Elanna play when they're bored."

"Which one is that?"

"Trivia."

"Chakotay I don't think that'll work when we can read each other's minds".

"Oh. You're right. Well then let's just try not to think."

"Fine."

The two walked in silence for another hour. The sun had all but set and a light sunset graced the sky.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Mmm. It's been a while since we've seen a proper sunset."

"I still can't believe that we've been in the Delta Quadrant for 6 and a half years now."

Up ahead the two saw a clearing. Chakotay pointed, "Let's stop here."


	3. Chapter 3

"It's getting cold."

He agreed, "We should start a fire."

"I don't think I have enough hair left for a fire," she smirked.

He smiled, clearly amused but still embarrassed at the memory, "I suppose you don't. Let's try without hair this time."

"Don't be embarrassed, Chakotay. I don't think that you ever thought you'd be stranded in the Delta Quadrant having to start a fire with sticks and stones on a distant unnamed planet."

"I was embarrassed. But how did you know that?" he started to gather sticks and brush.

"I felt it."

This time, Chakotay proved his mettle and started a small fire. The sat on the ground, close but not touching. The fire danced and dimly illuminated the darkness of their surroundings.

_I love- _

"Firelight," he finished.

She smiled, remembering something, "I was on the holodeck last week sitting in Sullivan's. Michael started- What?"

"I didn't say anything."

"No. When I said the name 'Michael' I felt a sudden wave of something. What is it, Chakotay?"

"It's nothing, Captain."

"No. No don't do that. Don't pull away from me," she said softly.

"Kathryn. Don't ask me to tell you."

"Why?"

"Because, Kathryn! It will ruin our relationship."

_Please, Kathryn, don't ask me to tell you that I'm in love with you. Don't ask me to put my heart out only for you to break it. It's all I have, Kathryn. _

"Oh, Chakotay," she sobbed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"How could I? And even if I did, would you have listened? It would have destroyed us."

"No, no," she shook her head, keeping her eyes down at the ground.

"We're a good team, Kathryn. We've made it through a lot in the past six years. We've managed to integrate two crews with vastly different philosophies, we've kept our ship together and we've beaten countless enemies against impossible odds. We couldn't have done that if I had told you that I loved you and you had turned me down. There would have been too much bitterness. Too much resentment."

"What," she whispered, "what makes you think that I would have turned you down?"

"I thought once that we had a chance. Two years ago on-"

"New Earth."

He let out a sigh, "yes."

"I was so close," she began, "I was so close to letting you in. If Voyager hadn't come back that day, I was sure that within that week we would have become lovers."

He was shocked. He'd never known she felt that way. He'd sensed it, yes. He'd sensed her openness to him during their last few days on New Earth, but nothing like this.

"You've changed, Kathryn," he whispered with a bitter twinge in his voice. He didn't mean to sound bitter. He didn't want to hurt her. But he had to say it. If he didn't get this out now, when would it be said?

"So have you, Chakotay."

"You know I love you, Kathryn." There it was. He'd said it. After all these years, he'd said it plainly.

"You've never said it before now."

"Haven't I?"

"Are you referring to your Ancient Legend?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes. You knew then, Kathryn. I think you knew that I had told you that I loved you. And my actions – didn't they say it as well?"

"Yes." She responded almost inaudibly. She thought back to that night. She'd cried and held his hand, knowing the truth of his feelings for her. She thought back to all the wonderful things he did for her on that planet. He'd taken care of her – built her a headboard for her bed so that she wouldn't strain her back when she read at night. He'd made her a bathtub – a whole bathtub and filled it for her every night. He'd even start to build her a boat. And then she thought about after New Earth. She thought about all the times that he supported her, held her, took care of her while on the ship. He was telling me, she thought, he was telling me that he loved me.

"Then you knew. You know that I'm in love with you."

"How can you be in love with me, Chakotay?"

"How can you ask me that, Kathryn?"

"I don't want you to be in love with me."

"Why?"

She was getting angry. Couldn't he just leave it? Couldn't he see that this was hurting her?

"Stop getting angry, Kathryn." He stated firmly.

"No. No!" she got up and started to pace wildly.

"Kathryn! Sit down and talk to me about this!"

"No! I don't want your love, Commander! I don't deserve it. Please," she started to cry, "please."

And there it was. There was the crux of Kathryn's sadness – inadequacy.

Chakotay got up slowly and walked up behind her small hunched form. She was sobbing, "you do, Kathryn. You do." He rubbed his face, trying to gather his thoughts, "Kathryn do you know how amazing you are?"

"Stop, Chakotay. I don't need your pity or your consolation."

"Pity? I do not pity you. Kathryn, I think you're the most sensational woman I've ever met in my whole life."

"Clearly you haven't met that many women..."

"Stop." He put his hands softly on her shoulders and turned her towards him.

"Kathryn," he whispered softly as his voice – the voice that she loved – caressed her name. She loved the way that he said it. It was soft, reverent.

She was shaking, as he lifted her face to his own, "tell me, please" he pleaded.

"I was never good enough, Chakotay. I loved my father with all my heart. I know he loved me. I know that he was proud of me, but still I never felt good enough. I thought that by making top grades and getting into the academy that he'd finally be proud of me. And," she once again turned away from him, "and with Justin, it was the same. He was a model officer. He was a grade above me when we met. There was always this unspoken competition between us. It drove him mad. It drove me mad, but I told myself that I was in love with him…" she was trailing off. "Mark. I don't think Mark understood me. I think he was comfortable with me and I was with him. I had nothing to prove to him. He was the safest choice."

She looked around, paced a few steps. "And now, look what I've done. I stranded Voyager in the Delta Quadrant. The fucking Delta Quadrant! 70,000 light years from home! I know I always say that we'll get home, but there are days when I seriously doubt it. What a mess I've made."

He let her finish, keeping his emotions under careful control. He said nothing. He'd never seen this side of her before. He knew it was there. He'd always known that beneath her tough as nails exterior laid a vulnerable woman. But, she'd never been this honest with him. She'd never been this open.

"If you're trying to push me away, Kathryn, it's not working."

She sobbed, "Why are you doing this? Why are you making this harder for me?"

He'd had enough. "I know you're in love with me, Kathryn."

She turned, wide-eyed and stared right at him.

_Stop! _

"I'm not going to stop loving you. You can't do anything to make me stop."

She was breaking, "why? Why do you love me? I've done nothing but hurt you over and over again. I've done nothing but rebuff you and throw up walls between us. Sometimes, Chakotay I just wish that you'd find someone among the crew. I just wish that you'd go and be happy."

"Yes, you hurt me. You hurt me with Kashyk. You're hurting me with Michael."

_I'm sorry. _

"I know."

"But that doesn't change the way that I feel. That doesn't change the way my heart starts pounding when you walking into the room. It doesn't change the anticipation that I feel when I get to spend time with you in your ready room, on the holodeck, or in your quarters. It doesn't change how incredibly breathtakingly beautiful I think you are. It doesn't change how badly I want you that most days that I can't even see straight. It doesn't change that I think you are the bravest and most intelligent person that I've ever met. You can't do anything to make me love you less. And, I am _proud_ of you. I'm proud even just to know you and call you my friend. I'm humbled to serve with you. And you know what, Kathryn? The whole crew is proud to serve with you."

She was crying now. Big fat tears meandered down her cheeks. No one had ever said those things to her. She was overwhelmed by the feelings that he had for her now lain bare because of the implants. His love for her was pervasive. No one had ever felt this way for her and she was simply and utterly at a loss.

He moved to close the distance between them. She was broken. Here was Kathryn Janeway – the most formidable opponent you could come across. She could wield a phaser, plan brilliant battle strategies, talk circles around foreign dignitaries and even intimidate the Borg Queen herself but underneath it all here was a broken woman. She melted into his embrace as sobs wracked her body. He rubbed small circles on the small of her back and kissed her head. "I'm sorry," she said over and over again like a mantra as she clung to his sturdy form.

"Shh, Kathryn." He whispered.

She took a deep breath, "I do love you. I do. But I'm so scared to let you love me."

He smiled and laughed as he looked down at her, "deal with it. You're stuck with me."

"Am I?"

"Yes."

"You can't promise me that. Not out here. Not when any day you could die."

"I know. But I'll do everything I can not to, Miss. I've-brushed-with-death-more-times-than-I-can-coun t."

"Guess I won't be sending you on any more shuttle craft flights," she chuckled.

He laughed warmly, "I suppose not. But I'll try to never leave you, Kathryn."

She smiled against his chest, for the first time, reveling in the love that he was showering on her.

The moment came seamlessly. She lifted her head from his chest to look at him. His dark bronze skin glowed in the firelight. He looked down at her, caught up in her loveliness. Did she even know how beautiful she was? Her hair was set on ablaze in the dim light. Hues of red, gold and chestnut played among each other. Her smoky blue eyes looked back. Her cheeks were flush and raw from the tears. He couldn't help but be drawn to her. She was intoxicating.

It was profoundly humbling to feel how he felt about her. She never thought of herself as beautiful. But, the way he felt about her and the way he looked at her started to change her own perceptions. His lips descended on hers and took them possessively. His tongue slid wetly over her bottom lip. She felt him all around her, inside of her. He was in her very thoughts. He wanted her with every fibre of his being. He wanted her like a thirsty man wants water. She moaned into his mouth and opened herself further to him. Soon, though, oxygen became a precious commodity and they had to pull away.

"Please, Kathryn. Please let me love you."

Tears once again came and she nodded her head, "yes."

He smiled again at their predicament and then started to chuckle, "as much as I want to make love to you – here on this planet is not where I want to do it."

She laughed as well, "definitely not."

He tugged her close and kissed her temple, "let's get some sleep before the sun rises and we have to get going again".

And so the two slept, arms tightly wound around one another. Tomorrow would bring it's own set of challenges, but for now they forgot about them and reveled in the newly found openness of their relationship and their feelings for one another.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks everyone for reading! I Hope you're enjoying it. Let's see if we can give these two a happier ending than Picard and Crusher got :). Stay tuned. **

The sun the following day was as unrelenting as the day before.

Chakotay looked around. The terrain had become more steep and mountain-like but it was still desert-like and very hot.

"How far are we from the meeting point?" he asked as he shielded his eyes from the glaring sun.

"Now we're only 1km according to this map," Kathryn replied as she glanced down at the tricorder. They had been silent all morning, still allowing themselves to acclimate to the change in their relationship. Moreover, the neural link was still strong. However, they kept their thoughts under control. The tension that had existed in their relationship had dissipated the previous evening. Now they were focused on finding a way back to Voyager.

The halting of their movement had brought quietness into their surroundings, all of a sudden, though, "did you hear that!" Janeway whispered as her eyes scanned beyond the rocky mound they had stopped behind.

Chakotay was a skilled tracker. He listened closely, "voices" he whispered. "It sounds like they're coming from that hill over there."

Two figures appeared on the hill above the two fugitives, similarly dressed to the Ret who had captured and imprisoned them. The scanned the valley, but Chakotay and Kathryn remained concealed as they pressed their bodies close to the base of the hill. They had removed their red jackets and now, clothed in black and grey, they almost blended into the shadows.

"They're not here," one figure said, "let's move on."

Chakotay listened until the voices had faded.

_I think they're gone. _He thought.

_We should keep moving, _she replied.

Cautiously they continued making sure to avoid any unwanted company. They continued on in near silence, trying to tread softly and listen for any more voices while they scanned above and behind them.

They cautiously approached another hill and as they reached the apex, a shimmering barrier appeared in the distance.

"Kathryn, look over there."

"That's the rendezvous point."

"What is it?"

"I think it some sort of border. I think it's the Pren border!"

"Let's go!"

They took off at a run. The distance to the gate was through an open field. They could be easily detected if anyone was scanning the area or tracking them. This could go both ways, however. They hoped that whoever had arranged the tricorder would be meeting them.

"There they are!" a cry rang out.

Adrenaline surged and the two started sprinting as fast as they could. Kathryn's shorter legs made it difficult to keep up. Chakotay grabbed her hand and continued running, _we've got to make it!_

They were now being pursued by two sets of people. Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed Kathryn's ankle and the grip was let go on her hand. She looked down but she was fine. The sharp pain was accompanied by nausea and in the split second she realized that Chakotay had fallen behind.

"Chakotay!" She screamed in terror.

She ran as fast as she could, blocking out the pain and nausea to the best of her ability. The two were still being pursued by the Ret. Their weapons were drawn and they were prepared to fire. "Stop!" one of them cried out.

_No! We're not going back there. Get up, Chakotay! _

She hauled his form up and supported him as best as she could as they continued limping toward the border. She knew that the Ret weren't going to fire despite their advances: they were far too valuable alive rather than dead. Now, just how were they supposed to get through the barrier?

They were flush against the border now, but the Ret were right behind them and soon they would be back in custody unless Kathryn could figure this damn console out. She looked at the tricorder and started making calculations.

Got it!

She punched in the code and a small disturbance appeared in the shimmering wall – it was enough for one person to get through. She made a split second decision. At least they both wouldn't be taken. She acted before he could stop her and she all but threw him through the disturbance just as the Ret guards caught her and apprehended her.

Chakotay fell hard on his face. What had just happened? _Kathryn?_ The nausea was coming back, _no! Kathryn. _He looked behind him. There she was. She had that steel look in her eyes. _Dammit Kathryn! _He stood up quickly, ignoring the pain in his ankle. The nausea was as unbearable as was the ache in his chest.

_No, Chakotay. Let me do this for you. Accept my sacrifice. I love you. _

_No! NO! Kathryn! Kathryn…_

"We have apprehended the human female." the Ret guard spoke into his communication device. The four guards hauled Kathryn away at a steady quick pace. He began to retch. The nausea and the sickness due to not being near her were unbearable and eventually he succumbed to the pain and lost consciousness.


	5. Chapter 5

"Ah! Welcome back, Commander," the EMH's chipper tone rang out as he passed the tricorder over his recumbent form.

"Kathryn?"

"The Captain is fine. She's right over there."

He saw her. He breathed a sigh of relief; she was ok.

He got up despite the dizziness and hobbled across sickbay to where she was still resting.

"Commander!" The doctor scolded. He'd had it at this point with these two. 6 Years of noncompliance on both their parts was enough to drive any physician insane – hologram or not.

Chakotay waved him off as he approached her biobed. Typical.

"Chakotay," she said softly as she saw him come into view.

"Hi," he smiled down at her as he smooth a piece of hair away from her forehead.

"The Doctor told me that we were both unconscious," she smiled, "I think that's becoming a theme."

He laughed, "I was just thinking the same thing. How do you feel?"

She ignored his question as she got up slowly, "Doctor, what about the neural implants?"

The EMH got excited at that, "oh yes! They were fascinating. No worries. They've been removed."

"We need to get to the bridge and see why we were captured." Chakotay nodded as the two started to hobble out of sickbay.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" The EMH sprinted over to block their paths, "Just where do you think you're going?"

"To the bridge, Doctor. I assure you we're fine. We need to investigate the situation."

"Uh uh uh! Commander Tuvok has it under control! Do you know that you two are recovering from severe dehydration and add to that you just had the equivalent of neurosurgery? And you think you're leaving!"

"Doctor!" The Janeway death glare was in full view, "I said we're _FINE_."

"That look doesn't work with me, Captain." You could cut the tension in the room with a knife. Chakotay just went along for the ride. The stare down was going on and on.

"Let me remind you, Captain, that I have the medical authority to give you orders. Now, I can confine the two of you to sickbay or I can release you to your quarters for the remainder of the day."

"Fine."

Victory. A smug smile appeared on the Doctor's face, "very well, I'll see the both of you tomorrow morning for a follow up. Now get some rest!"

The doors to Sickbay hissed open and the two trudged out.

"Remind me to modify some of his subroutines," she grumbled.

"Computer what time is it?" Chakotay asked.

"The time is 18:00 hours."

The approached the tubolift, "Deck 3" Kathryn called out. For a moment, they stood simply comfortable to be with one another. Then, he turned to her in the small space, "have dinner with me."

She smiled, "yes."

The walked in silence to his quarters and entered.

He began to walk over to the replicator, but as he did he sensed her uneasiness. Stopping he turned back to her. Her back was to him as she stared blankly out the window at the passing constellations.

"What is it, Kathryn?"

"Nothing."

"It's not nothing."

"There's no more link. Stop trying to read my mind."

"I don't need a neural implant to read you. I never have."

Suddenly a horrible thought came to him, "you regret it, don't you?"

"No. Yes. Yes."

His shoulder sagged in defeat as she walked away from him.

"I," she began then stopped as she reached up to rub her neck, remembering where the implant had been.

"What, Kathryn?" He came up slowly behind her and tentatively put his hands on her waist, "what?" he whispered.

"I can't hear you anymore."

"I'm right here."

"Things are going to change."

"No."

She turned around, "what do you mean? Everything is going to change."

"Nothing has changed, Kathryn. How does admitting what was true all along change anything between us?"

She walked out of his grasp, "what if I don't get us home?"

"We'll get home."

"How can I let myself love you and start a life with you? How can I let myself be happy when I've taken happiness away from every member of this crew?"

"Is that what you think – that the crew isn't happy?"

She said nothing so he continued, "you saved us, Kathryn – all of us. You saved the Me. You saved the Maquis crew. You gave us a chance at living. You've given all of this crew a chance to see the universe – to be explorers."

"No, no, Chakotay. I've taken Sam away from her husband. I've taken a father away from Naomi. I've taken Joe away from his family. Tuvok hasn't seen his wife and children in 9 years. There are countless others! How can I let myself love you and be with you when I've done all of that."

"No one here holds what happened against you, Kathryn! Things just happen and what we did and what stranded us here – it was the right thing to do. I don't think you would have been able to live with yourself if you didn't do it. I don't think the crew would have respected you if you left the Ocampa."

She knew he was right. But this was hard.

"I'm not going to stop loving you, Kathryn. I'm not walking away from these feelings just because you think you don't deserve to be loved and to be happy. I won't force you to do anything, but I can't walk away. This crew wants you to be happy. When you're happy – they are happy. You set the mood on this ship – you set the example. What are you saying when you deny yourself happiness?"

"That I'm paying for my sins."

"Penance? This crew – I, we – don't need your penance. We need you to be content and right now you're not."

For once, Kathryn Janeway didn't know what to do. He was right. "What am I supposed to do?" a solitary tear made its way down her cheek.

"Love me. Accept my love and let yourself love me." His response was immediate, almost as if he had planned it.

"I do love you. I love you." She said it surely, with no quiver in her voice.

He smiled and once again closed the distance between them, "no more tears, Kathryn. No more sadness. No more penance. No more guilt. Let it go."

In a moment she was overcome by his tenderness and suddenly she was sure that the neural link was still functional. "I feel you."

He smiled, "yes".

"I want you."

Maybe it was too much too soon. But 6 years is a long time and even a patient man has his limits. He once again leaned down to kiss her, but this time his kiss was not as tender and chaste as it was on the planet's surface. It was open mouthed, possessive, hot. He pulled away suddenly and she moaned in protest at the sudden absence. But, he did not want to take advantage, "if you're going to stop me, tell me now. Because, Spirits, Kathryn if we go any farther I won't be able to stop." He was panting and his shallow breaths mirrored her own. She felt him pressed against her. She was sure, "don't stop," she whispered.

Before she could take in another breath his lips were once again on hers. The intensity of his kiss forced her backwards and she began being led into his bedroom. They still smelled of sweat as tank tops were peeled off. Pant buckles were reached for, manipulated, and opened. Clothing was shed sequentially until all that was left was Starfleet issue undergarments. He wanted so badly for this to be slow. He wanted angonising deliberateness. He wanted to kiss every inch of her and show her physically how much he loved her and wanted her. But, rational thought was a rare commodity at the moment and with the most self-control he could muster he stopped and stepped back.

He wanted to see her. He wanted to examine her. Every day since he'd seen her in her towel on New Earth, he'd ached to fully study the woman underneath. Pale, petite, delicate, "you are perfect, Kathryn Janeway," he whispered reverently. No one had looked at her like that before and she blushed, "and even more so when you blush" he added with a full dimpled grin before he claimed her again.

He was everything that she had dreamed of. Her first fantasy had been that night on New Earth – after the tale of the Angry Warrior. She had lain in bed that night and thought about him. Sleep had evaded her as her mind conjured images of him working, smiling, and talking. That night gave her the first of many fantasies. They had changed and evolved over the years, but now she found herself completely unprepared for the reality of the situation. His hands skimmed lovingly over her skin. He kissed her lips with veneration twined with an undeniable passion. She knew he was struggling to make the moment last. What he didn't realize, perhaps, was that her fantasies were probably as exuberant as his own. She too wanted to draw out the moment and make love slowly – eventually. But, at _this_ moment, she just wanted him to be a part of her.

Their underwear was the last barrier. She reached down and pulled away his boxes while he mirrored her actions and divested her briefs. Foreplay was irrelevant as he assertively entered her. His mouth was still on hers at the moment that he pushed through her last and final barrier and she moaned at the stretching of the latent tissue. He started to pull away, afraid that he'd hurt her, when she put a hand on his buttock and stopped him from moving away, "no. Stay." He kissed her once more and then he turn his attention to her chest and began to kiss every inch of her clavicles and then her breasts. He was branding her – marking her as his own. The urge to move became unbearable. She felt it too and rolled her hips to encourage him.

In truth, they had both known that it would be over quickly, but when they came at the third undulation it still took her by surprise. "Chakotay!" she cried in ecstasy out into his neck as he collapsed on top of her. They were both breathing hard despite the fact that their lovemaking had been anything but strenuous. He began to soften and fall away. Fearing that he was crushing her he pulled away, but she stopped him. Yes, she couldn't breath, but he was hers and she wanted to keep him connected to her for just a moment longer. Soon though he drew away. No more words were spoken that evening as the two fell into a deep sleep born of their encounter, their emotional turmoil turned bliss, and then their lovemaking. They were overwhelmed but grateful.

Yes, over the last 6 years, the Delta Quadrant had taken many things. Sometimes, she took their resolve. Sometimes she took parts of the ship. Sometimes, she even took life. But, there were things that the Delta Quadrant gave. She gave excitement. She gave experience. She gave friends. She gave family. And now, she even gave love.


End file.
